Single of the Week – “Slam the Door” by Turrentine Jones

Turrentine Jones are an alternative rock and blues band formed in Manchester, whose rich and sleek soundscape is heavily rooted in 60s American underground music. With Julian Neville on vocals/guitars, Thomas Scotson on Hammond organ and Rich Watts on drums, Turrentine Jones slither with suspense, whilst psyching you up with its fusion of Wah, funky and gritty riffs. They are a darkly sensual band, whose animalistic and erotic infused lyrics are obscured by Neville’s mesmerizing vocals. With traces of his native Australian twang, Neville’s voice is a cross-breed of Lou Reed, Jim Morrison, Bob Dylan and Reg Presley, whose velvet tones elongate and spurt against the super-cool soundscape. As a front man, Neville is definitely up there, a charismatic performer, whose undeniable stage presence is an asset to Turrentine Jones’s overall appeal. Having performed throughout the UK, the band have quickly made an impact, catching the eye of Rough Trade Records, who they signed to earlier this year.

“Slam the Door” is your bone-fide bluesy rock number which has been charged up with sexed up swagger. Sounding like a cross between The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground and The Strange Boys, “Slam the Door” remind us of all things authentic from the 60s whilst boldly migrating into a modern arena. It’s a brilliant song whose chilled out drums and jerky, crashing riffs play in juxtaposition against the walkabout Hammond organ, creating a restless fleet of sounds. With Neville’s oily narrative and intoxicating vocals, “Slam the Door” broods with a hot-blooded prowess that overspills into the spiked out-tro. With its up-tempo riffs and primitive wails, “Slam the Door” transcends into a frenzy of sounds, taking the song to its pinnacle of pleasure.